SS class?
So high intensity!
Moreover, isn't this talent Dragon's Devil Fruit ability?
Wind's Blessing?
Does it mean that he also obtained part of the power of the Wind-Wind Fruit?
Leno's thoughts moved slightly.
Activate the Wind's Blessing talent.
A breeze blew by, lifting a few fallen leaves.
The breeze gradually increased.
Worried about alarming others, Leno stopped the experiment.
He did gain the ability to control the wind.
However, Wind's Blessing does not turn him into the wind.
Leno cannot be elementalized.
But this is already quite powerful, and when it is critical, it will catch the enemy off guard.
Leno had a whim.
If you combine Wind's Blessing with his kendo talent, wouldn't it be possible to create a new school of kendo?
Sword Heart?
Well!
Why does it feel weird, but it sounds familiar?
As Leno pondered, a sentence flashed through his mind.
"Death is like the wind, always with me!"
Leno wiped his sweat. No wonder it felt familiar—it's like the pirate version of Happy Man!
"It's not impossible!"
Leno opened the system panel.
Host Name: Leno
Real age: 17 years old
Existing talents: King of Gluttony, Conqueror's Haki, Sword Heart, One Heart Sword, Wind's Blessing
Strength evaluation: Well-trained, comparable to a Colonel of Naval Headquarters, with the posture of a devil king, the heart of the sword, unlimited potential—fight hard, young man. The unruly wind blesses you; the future is yours.
With the increase of his SS-level Wind's Blessing talent, his strength evaluation changed accordingly.
It's just that Leno had a new understanding of this.
Evaluation and real combat power are not necessarily the same.
"Combat and combat power are two different things. The environment, fighting spirit, and other factors will all become key elements in the battle."
"Also, talent is similar to Devil Fruits; it needs to be developed to realize its true potential and advantages!"
Leno recalled the battle with Dragon, and how his fighting spirit under duress activated the potential of his Sword Heart talent.
This is the correct way to unlock talent.
Simply piling up talent and improving its rating won't fully transform talent into combat power.
The same Devil Fruit in the hands of a genius and a mediocre person becomes two completely different Devil Fruits.
On the seas, there are too many people who bury the power of Devil Fruits.
The same goes for talent.
Leno looked forward to Koushirou's training.
He walked through the corridor, slowed his pace, and looked at the girl waiting in front of him.
"Kuina, haven't you slept yet?"
The moonlight illuminated Kuina's side profile; she nodded with complicated eyes.
"What, something on your mind?"
Kuina paused, seemed on the verge of speaking, then swallowed again, saying, "No, I'm going to sleep."
She wasn't a girl who was good at communicating and sharing her thoughts with others.
"Wait!"
Leno called out to stop her.
"Yes?"
Leno smiled and asked, "Do you like mountain climbing?"
Kuina shook her head.
Since she was little, besides training every day, she only trained more.
Climbing?
She wasn't in the mood.
"Anyway, it'll be dawn soon. How about going to the top of the mountain and watching the sunrise together?" Leno invited.
Watching the sunrise?
Seeing the sincere smile on Leno's handsome and sunny face, Kuina hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.
Leaving the dojo, the two walked toward the highest mountain on the island.
Under the night sky, the mountains and forests were quiet.
Leno and Kuina walked in tandem.
Kuina was at the front, Leno at the back.
Kuina looked serious and worried.
Leno was unhurried and leisurely.
Neither spoke; only the sound of footsteps on leaves filled the air.
"Hey, Kuina!"
Suddenly, Leno stopped and called out to Kuina.
"Huh? What? What's wrong?"
Kuina glanced nervously, finding Leno squatting at the root of an old tree, looking down at something.
"Come and see!" Leno called.
Kuina was worried and hurried over.
Following Leno's gaze, she saw the light of a lantern illuminating a cicada slowly breaking free from its shell.
"A cicada?"
Kuina sighed in relief; she had been startled, thinking it was something serious.
"Have you heard the story of the cicada?" Leno asked.
"No."
"Every year, cicadas sing for one summer. But do you know how long they hibernate for this summer?"
Kuina shook her head.
"I heard it was seventeen years!"
"Eh? That long?"
Kuina was surprised.
She squatted down, looking at the tiny cicada struggling to shed its old skin, showing endless life.
She never imagined that such a cicada had been buried in the dark underground for seventeen years.
"Long years of obscurity."
"But when it chirps, we know that summer is coming!"
The cicada broke free from its shell and spread its wings.
Then there was a chirp.
Suddenly, cicadas in the woods began to sing in response, and soon more joined in, one after another.
Leno stood up and said, "You see, all your efforts won't go to waste."
Kuina looked at the cicada fluttering its wings, touched by the sight.
Leno could guess Kuina's thoughts.
Because of his growth, he put pressure on her.
Originally, Kuina was the undisputed top talent among the students in the dojo.
Even so, she was often dismissed by her father.
She wanted to prove herself to him through her own efforts.
But then Zoro arrived.
Kuina's position was challenged.
She began to doubt herself.
Leno's appearance shattered her worldview.
Was all her hard work for nothing?
This sense of loss is something many students experience.
For example, the top student in middle school might just blend in with the crowd in high school.
As children, everyone feels unique, thinking they'll be the one to change the world.
But when you grow up and your pride is shattered by better people, confusion is inevitable.
No matter how strong Kuina was, she was still a child with many troubles and couldn't bring herself to share them.
She needed guidance.
The two continued toward the top of the mountain. Perhaps Leno's words had moved Kuina, as she began to talk more.
She actually had many beautiful and happy memories—about her father, her mother, her childhood, and her love for kendo.
When the two reached the top of the mountain, a ray of sunlight rose from the sea and shone on them.
The feeling was wonderful.
Refreshed, Leno opened his arms to embrace the sun.
"It's like climbing a mountain. No matter what you do, if you keep moving forward step by step, you'll eventually reach the top!"
Kuina tilted her head.
Then she mimicked him, letting herself bask in the morning light. The sunlight reached her heart, dispelling all her sorrows.
She smiled.